Film Competition Overview

Over 40 applicants representing new voices in the burgeoning film scenes in Nollywood and Kannywood, Nigeria submitted compelling dramatic film scripts as part of the competition that was designed to support Northern Nigerian filmmakers. Out of this pool, 15 were shortlisted and met in Abuja where they received professional production training from leaders in the field as well as expert presentations on corruption in Nigeria. As part of the competition, the finalists adapted their scripts and pitched them to a panel of esteemed judges.

Highlights of all the Winners

We are excited to present the four finalists who have been awarded grants through our film competition in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation to produce short films addressing corruption in N. Nigeria. The winning films will be aired on AREWA24, Africa Magic and Ebony TV, and promoted through a social media campaign.

About the films:  

 

Dimbo Atiya is a trained and experienced film producer whose electric film, “three-bulation” highlights how corruption in the power sector causes irreparable harm to vulnerable local communities.

 

 

 

Tijjani Shehu Yahaya is an experienced producer whose film, “The Citizen,”is about a brave patriot who takes the risk of uncovering the truth behind the riches of a mysterious business mogul.

 

 

 

Yusuf Ismaila Mohammed is an experienced cinematographer, writer and content creator. In “Ali Baba,”an undercover cop risks his life to investigate the illegal practices of an electricity company.

 

 

 

Gumut Ishaku Dashon is a creative motion picture producer. In ”A Fresh Page,” a poor family struggles to achieve justice for their slain father and husband against a corrupt school.

 

 

A Participatory Media Approach

Our film competition is one of several platforms incorporating our participatory media approach with the goal of advocating for community and government accountability.

Making media accessible and participatory is at the heart of everything we do at EAI. Since our first broadcasts on satellite radio to community groups in Nepal and Afghanistan in the early 2000s, we have strived to use media and technology in a way that engages and involves entire populations and we are constantly innovating to ensure our content is creative, appropriate, and, above all, inclusive. We work to create technology and social media initiatives that ensure our partner communities have access to tools needed to be effective leaders and change agents by bridging the digital divide through tech camps, hackathons, and other creative capacity building programming.

Because Social Behavior Change Communications (SBCC) is grounded in narrative storytelling as a way of modeling familiar scenarios, characters, and modeling new behaviors to instigate knowledge, attitude and behavior change, we approach SBCC holistically with the goal of inspiring change in individuals and communities by including families, peers, local leaders, and government. By working with the whole ecosystem that surrounds and influences a person’s life, our aim is to encourage positive changes that are needs driven and sustainable.

Combining SBCC with our participatory media approach, we foster civic engagement as a means of promoting public participation to improve local governance by guiding individuals and citizen groups through a series of transformative training and connects them with opportunities for civic participation. Our programs bring together relevant stakeholders including citizens, civil society leaders, traditional leaders, elected representatives, local governments, public service providers, and law enforcement agencies to define sustainable governance solutions through multi-stakeholder dialogue. Our methods inspire sustainable action in our communities ensuring citizens continue to instigate civic action after the completion of a program.     

Learn more about the MacArthur Media Support for Community Accountability Measures.